August 2, 2019
Time, Patience, Paradox
Earlier this year a close friend of mine, R, got a $100,000 advance for two books. To say I was happy for her was an understatement. Although the contract also […]
June 3, 2019
The Doodles of Famous Authors
I’m not shy about my love of words, letters, and even whole sentences. So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon a truly impressive feat of cultural curation over at […]
April 20, 2019
On Slow Reading, Considering, and Consuming
It’s long been understood that going to an art museum doesn’t necessarily mean one desires to look at art, at least not for prolonged, potentially edifying periods. Articles like Artnet’s […]
December 9, 2016
Trump’s Last Tweet
Nearly twenty years ago, newly arrived in Seattle, I needed help finding an apartment. Online listings were still a few years away, so I signed up for a service that […]
February 19, 2016
The Art of the Literary Humblebrag
The humblebrag (RIP Harris Wittels) seems to be part of our contemporary culture, but its literary variety is of an ilk slightly different from your normal “I-seriously-need-to-stop-going-to-the-gym-5-days-a-week” kind. For those unfamiliar […]
December 27, 2015
An End In Itself
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. — Samuel Beckett, Worstward Ho I’ve been thinking about failure all month, ever since I wrote about it in the […]
April 3, 2015
Even if You Close Your Eyes: William Pope.L’s Trinket
“Art hurts. Art urges voyages – / and it is easier to stay at home…” -Gwendolyn Brooks In William Pope.L’s exhibition William Pope.L: Trinket currently on view at MOCA Geffen […]
December 15, 2011
Mix Tape: Popular Muses
Check out the How a Poem Happens blog. In the latest post, John Drury talks about inspiration. “Yes, I like being ambushed by memory and imagination, and I do what […]